Listerine? ACT?

[drPheta]

Hey guys, I ran a search on this product with no definitive answer. Does Listerine (and other ROH containing mouthwashes) aid gingival receeding? I've just started to try it out as a preventative against caries, but it's so harsh that I feel bad for my gums.

How would ACT be (non ROH containing mouthwash) compared to Listerine?

I know alcohol promotes periodontitis, as well as oral cancer. But, how involved is an alcoholic mouthwash in this equation?

What type of mouthwash do you guys use? I'd like to keep my teeth for as long as I possibly can, especially after seeing some slides of poor and old dentition.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[cusp of carabelli]

there isn't definate proof that listerine causes oral cancer but it is thought that since it does cause alcohol, and chronic exposure to alcohol in the mouth has been linked with oral cancer, that listerine may cause cancer. I personally use listerine but not everyday...maybe like once a week or so....

as for ACT, i always thought of that rinse as more of a fluoride home supplement rinse so it kinda acts differently than listerine...which kills bacteria..whereas ACT is more of a protectant against decay by plaque/bacteria/acid

as for gingival recession...i would think that it wouldn't be that bad for gingival recession b/c you are killing the bacteria that are involved in periodontitis but again...chronic exposure may eventually have a harmful effect. (please correct me if i'm wrong anybody...after pulling 4 all nighters in a row and 2 more ahead for oral path...my brain may not be running on all 4 cylinders.. )

 

[UBTom]

Hi Pheta,

Listerine and ACT do different things if I remember right... ACT is a fluoride rinse, which is to be used as part of comprehensive caries prevention. On the other hand Listerine is an antiseptic mouthwash, which is primarily antimicrobial and helps prevent gum disease only when used as an adjunct in a comprehensive regimen of periodontal care.

HTH.

 

[dientesfuertes]

This is just a feeling I have (no scientific support), but I think that when you hear about alcohol being related to periodontal disease it is more related to the systemic effects of alcohol intake (i.e., drinking it).
Just like if you use rubbing alcohol to cleanse your skin it's probably not going to give you cirrhosis of the liver.
I personally think that Listerine can only help your situation by killing oral bacteria - the real cause of periodontitis.
Act, on the other hand, does contain fluoride - helping teeth in a completely different way, but not really improving periodontal involvement.

 

[sxr71]

Any views on hydrogen peroxide as a mouthwash?

 

[trypmo]

I'm curious about H2O2 as mouthwash as well. On the bottles of 3% solution it always says "oral debriding agent," but I've never used it that way because I figure it wouldn't make my body too happy if I accidentally swallowed a drop. That and I'm sure it tastes as horrible as it smells (this could be overcome by Peroxyl and similar flavor-y products, but I haven't tried those either).

 

[sxr71]

I have tried H2O2, and you are right it doesn't taste great, but $0.59 for a bottle of H2O2 versus $6.99 for a bottle of H2O2 with flavor makes me choose the H2O2.

My experience has been that it seems to do an really job of countering bad breath without leaving you with a minty taste. You can always use H2O2 first and then finish with Scope or whatever.

I'm not a dentist or a dental student yet, so my perceptions of the effectiveness of H2O2 don't really mean much.